Just coming up for some air. Whew. My house is covered in paper scraps, my head is spinning, and 24 hours seems like too short of a day! I finally settled my car situation, and we decided to take out a loan to buy a new car. At least I’ll have more peace of mind during my long commutes to work. And we’ll both be sharing it, so I think it’s a good idea in the long run. Still, timing? Not so great.

I thought I would share this piece BJ did a few nights ago. I swear he busted it out so quickly. Don’t you think he should do more?

I feel like this summer is going to be gone in the blink of an eye! Let’s see: over the past few days I’ve gone to a couple of meetings, got into my first car accident (not my fault though!), went on a retreat with BJ for marriage prep (more on that later), quietly celebrated my 25th birthday, sewed lots of flowers and birds, and drove all around Houston running errands. I really wish I were super-organized and had a few extra pair of hands.

* The accident couldn’t have come at a worse time—right on the day of our retreat + with all these wedding plans going on. Plus, B and I are sharing a car. But on the bright side, this rental drives over pot holes so much better than mine. My car is basically too costly to fix, and I need to find a replacement quickly before I turn over the rental. Oi.

Thankfully, B was close by and called the cops for me. If anyone ever offered a Getting Through the Small Things in Life course, I would be the first to sign up. On the syllabus: How to change a tire, How to get info in an accident, How to fix a leaky pipe, How to sign a lease.

Anyways, before I ramble on any more, here are a few pictures I remembered to take:

Packing for the weekend

Finished Juju’s flower-girl belt + a few brass bells

Huge wire basket from Grace Hart & Co

Gaudy belt from Sand Dollar thrift store around the corner, 45 cents

Another belt from Sand Dollar. Made in Texas. (Clothing1/2 off on Wed. :)

No more pencils
No more books
No more teacher’s student’s dirty looks*

I’ve been trying to tackle a load of things so it’s been pretty busy here. Since I’m normally surrounded by a lot of people and noise at my job, the silence after everyone leaves in the morning, and being alone, is a little strange. It freaked me out enough that I hid in our closet for a good half hour because I swore I heard people breaking in. I’m a little embarrassed, but happy to be alive :0 ! Blame it on the loud air conditioning, construction, and ice machine … or ghost?

Today was much better. I stopped by Grace Hart and Co. a few blocks away and it’s totally overstimulating but amazing! They have a good selection of costume jewelry and antiques + cookies and coffee in the back. And the saleswomen leave you alone but will gladly listen to you ramble on and on. Every booth had great finds, and I only got a few things this time, but will definitely be back for presents.